U.S. patent number 3,911,284 [Application Number 05/457,207] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-07 for fuel and vehicle system based on liquid alkali metal.
Invention is credited to Stephen F. Skala.
United States Patent |
3,911,284 |
Skala |
October 7, 1975 |
Fuel and vehicle system based on liquid alkali metal
Abstract
A sodium and potassium liquid fuel alloy is used for operating a
motor generator by reaction with water to obtain energy and form
hydrogen gas. Said motor generator converts the chemical energy
from the heat of reaction to electrical or mechanical energy. The
spent alkali hydroxides formed from the reaction are stored for
subsequent regeneration to the starting sodium potassium fuel.
Hydrogen gas formed in the alkali metal-water reaction is delivered
along with air to a second generator which converts the chemical
energy to electrical or mechanical energy.
Inventors: |
Skala; Stephen F. (Berwyn,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
26972274 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/457,207 |
Filed: |
April 2, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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301285 |
Oct 27, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
290/16; 180/65.1;
290/1R; 318/139; 60/523; 180/69.5; 290/50; 429/418; 429/505 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02G
1/0435 (20130101); F02B 75/04 (20130101); F05C
2225/08 (20130101); F02B 1/04 (20130101); F02B
2043/106 (20130101); F02B 2075/025 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01D
33/00 (20060101); F02G 1/00 (20060101); F02B
75/00 (20060101); F02B 75/04 (20060101); F02G
1/043 (20060101); F02B 1/00 (20060101); F02B
1/04 (20060101); F02B 75/02 (20060101); B60L
011/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;318/139,440
;290/1,2,16,50 ;136/86,86A ;60/517-523 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Simmons; G. R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dominik, Knechtel, Godula &
Demeur
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 301,285,
filed Oct. 27, 1972 by the same applicant, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sodium and potassium liquid fuel system, including
a power plant having a sodium potassium fuel reservoir, a motor
generator with a combustion chamber, a water reservoir, a spent
alkali hydroxide collector, means to convey the fuel and water to
the motor generator, and means to transfer the spent hydroxides to
said collector,
a regenerating station separate from said power plant and having a
refinery for the spent alkali hydroxides, an electric power source
operating said refinery to regenerate the spent alkali hydroxides
to sodium potassium fuel and a service facility to store the
regenerated fuel together with water,
connectable removing means between the collector and service
facility and the refinery so that the spent hydroxides may be
received in the refinery, and
connectable return means between the service facility and the
reservoirs so that the fuel and water may be returned to the
reservoirs.
2. A system which includes the features of claim 1 above, which
further includes a storage battery, fuel cell means having hydrogen
and air electrodes, means to route the formed hydrogen product from
the motor generator to the fuel cell means and means to deliver
oxygen to said fuel cell means for reaction with the hydrogen to
obtain electrical energy for said storage battery.
3. A system which includes the features of claim 2 above and which
further includes a power output operated by said storage
battery.
4. A system which includes the features of claim 2 above, wherein
said regenerating means include a source of primary electric power
to regenerate said spent hydroxides by electrolysis and which
further includes battery charging means operated by said electric
power, and means joining said charger to said storage battery.
5. A system which includes the features of claim 4 above, wherein
said power output is a vehicle drive motor of an electrically
operated vehicle.
6. A system for operating a vehicle which includes the features of
claim 5 above, wherein the connectable return means of said service
facility operates to charge fuel and water reservoirs carried by
said vehicle.
7. A system which includes the features of claim 6 above, which
further includes compressor means to deliver air as the source of
said oxygen to said fuel cell means.
8. A system which includes the features of claim 1 above, wherein
said motor generator is a variable reluctance type to convert
chemical energy from the reaction of the sodium potassium liquid
fuel to electric energy, and wherein piston elements reciprocate
within a magnetic field to induce electric current which is
delivered to said storage battery.
9. A system for operating a vehicle which includes the features of
claim 8 above, wherein said power plant is an electrically operated
vehicle and said variable reluctance motor generator is carried by
said vehicle, and which further includes vehicle drive and control
means operated by said storage battery, fuel cell means to generate
electricity from the hydrogen formed in the combustion chamber of
the motor generator, means connecting said electricity to storage
battery, and means joining said fuel cell to the water reservoir to
transfer water formed in the fuel cell.
10. A system which includes the features of claim 7 above, which
further includes a drive motor and control assembly carried by said
vehicle, and wherein said storage battery operates the vehicle
drive motor with its stored energy at ordinary demands and wherein
said motor generating means and fuel cell means deliver energy to
charge said battery during greater vehicle operating demands.
11. A method for operating a heat motor with sodium and potassium
liquid fuel and water including the steps of
conveying said sodium and potassium fuel to a combustion chamber
associated with a motor having a movable element,
conveying water to the combustion chamber of said heat motor to
obtain heat of reaction and hydrogen,
expanding a fluid within said reaction chamber with said obtained
heat of reaction to impart movement to said movable element,
removing the formed hydrogen to a location other than said
combustion chamber to utilize the energy content of said
hydrogen,
transferring formed alkali hydroxides from said motor to a
collection zone,
removing said spent alkali hydroxides from said collection zone,
and
conveying a new charge of fuel and water to said combustion chamber
of said motor.
12. A method which includes the steps of claim 11 above, which
further includes reacting said removed hydrogen with oxygen to
develop energy.
13. A method which includes the steps of claim 12 above and which
further includes obtaining said new charge of fuel and water by
applying a primary electrical power source to regenerate said
alkali hydroxide by electrolysis to sodium potassium fuel and
water, and using said primary electric power source to operate a
battery charger which, in turn, charges said storage battery.
14. A method which includes the steps of claim 11 above and which
further includes the steps of converting mechanical energy in said
motor to obtain electrical energy, charging a storage battery with
said electrical energy, and transferring energy from said storage
battery to a vehicular drive motor to obtain an operating
electrical vehicle.
15. A method which includes the steps of claim 14 above, which
further includes the steps of conveying the hydrogen gas formed in
said reaction chamber to a fuel cell environment carried by said
vehicle, said fuel cell environment including hydrogen and oxygen
electrodes, delivering compressed air from said vehicle to said
fuel cell means to develop electric current and conveying said
electric current to said storage battery to charge said storage
battery for operating said drive motor of the vehicle.
16. An electrically powered vehicle which includes, in
combination,
drive motor and control means,
a storage battery to electrically operate said drive motor and
control means.
a motor generator having a combustion chamber,
a fuel tank,
a supply of sodium potassium liquid fuel in said fuel tank,
means to deliver said sodium potassium liquid fuel to the
combustion chamber of said motor generator,
a water tank, means to deliver said water to the combustion chamber
so that the heat of reaction operates said motor generator,
means to develop electrical energy in said operating motor
generator, and
means to deliver said electrical energy to said storage
battery.
17. A vehicle which includes the elements of claim 16 above, and
which further includes a fuel cell, means to route the hydrogen
formed in the combustion zone of the motor generator to said fuel
cell, means to deliver compressed air to said fuel cell so that the
hydrogen and oxygen combine to form electrical energy and water,
and means to join said electrical energy to said storage
battery.
18. A vehicle which includes the features of claim 17 above, and
which further includes a battery charger, said battery charger
adapted to receive an electric power input from a source separate
from the vehicle, and means to convey electric current from said
battery charger to said storage battery.
19. A vehicle which includes the features of claim 18 above and
which further includes a collector for spent alkali hydroxides,
means to transfer the spent alkali hydroxides from the motor
generator to said collector, and means to remove said spent alkali
hydroxides from the collector on the vehicle to regenerating means
separate from said vehicle.
20. A vehicle which includes the features of claim 19 above,
wherein said motor generator is of the variable reluctance type
wherein a magnetic element ajoins a movable permeable piston
element, means to convert the resulting magnetic energy into
electrical energy, and means to deliver said electrical energy to
said storage battery.
21. A vehicle which includes the features of claim 20 above,
wherein a pair of piston elements are reciprocable within an
elongated cylinder, said magnet element adjoining said cylinder, a
combustion chamber intermediate the reciprocating piston elements,
an air cushion chamber between the end of each cylinder and the
reciprocating element, and a plurality of air gaps in the
reciprocating piston elements to obtain a plurality of magnetic
field reversals for each stroke of the reciprocating piston
elements.
22. A vehicle which includes the features of claim 21 above, which
further includes a direct current coil associated with said magnet
element to form an electromagnetic assembly, a power source for
said direct current coil, an armature coil associated with said
magnet element to convert magnetic energy into electrical energy,
and means to convey the electric current from said armature coil to
said storage battery.
23. A vehicle and recycleable sodium-potassium liquid fuel system,
including
a vehicle having a power plant, a sodium-potassium reservoir, a
water reservoir and compressed air means, a spent sodium-potassium
hydroxide collector on said vehicle, means to convey the water and
sodium-potassium from the reservoirs to the power plant, means to
convey compressed air to said power plant, and means to transfer
the spent sodium-potassium hydroxide formed from the reaction of
the power plant to said collector,
a service facility remote from the vehicle, including a regenerator
to convert spent sodium-potassium hydroxide to sodium-potassium
fuel, an energy source to operate said regenerator,
connectible removing means between the service facility and the
vehicle so that the spent sodium-potassium hydroxide may be
received for treatment in the regenerator, and
connectible return means between the service facility and the
vehicle so that regenerated sodium-potassium fuel may be returned
to the vehicle.
Description
This invention relates to utilizing a sodium and potassium alloy
liquid fuel for operating a motor generator which can operate a
storage battery for operating an electrically powered vehicle. In
particular, the invention relates to a system wherein spent alkali
hydroxides formed from the reaction of the sodium potassium fuel
and water are returned to a regenerating zone so that sodium
potassium fuel can be collected to again be delivered to the motor
generator. A method for employing such fuel and system is also part
of the invention, as well as an electrically powered vehicle
operable in accordance with the method and the system.
The petroleum system operating internal combusion engines or the
like has been universally applied, studied and utilized. The
system, however, has been recognized as having certain serious
defects. Such defects include the exhaustible nature of the
petroleum resources, the pollutant problems of gasoline combustion
engines, including hydrocarbon emissions formed at lower
temperatures while nitrogen oxide pollutants are formed at lower
temperatures while nitrogen oxide pollutants are formed at higher
temperatures. Attempts to combat this pollutants problem have
involved the design and use of control devices which are expensive,
unreliable, and diminish performance of the internal combustion
engine.
Attention has recently been directed to other fuel sources,
including hydrogen. Hydrogen is a versatile fuel which can power
external and internal combustion engines and fuel cells. The use of
hydrogen to power a vehicle engine involves problems such as the
hazards of storing hydrogen as such a fuel source. The problem can,
in part, be overcome by generating hydrogen as needed from more
stable substances, such as decomposition of metal hydrides in
water, and oxidation of metals by water. The solid, heavy
substances, however, do not have the handling conveniences which
are desirable for a fuel source.
Another alternative to a petroleum fuel system which has received
great attention is a rechargeable battery to operate electrically
powered vehicles. Electrical power is economical but recharging
time can be inconveniently long and energy capacities can be
disadvantageously low. Replaceable electrodes may overcome the
problem of recharging and convenience of bulk liquid is partly
approached by utilizing certain powdered zinc-electrolyte slurries.
Such means, however, are limited to particular kinds of
batteries.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to
provide a system, method and apparatus which utilizes to greater
advantage a sodium potassium liquid fuel system for operating a
motor generator which is characterized by advantages of economy and
clean operation relative to the operation of a petroleum fuel in an
internal combustion engine.
Another related object of the invention is the use of a sodium and
potassium liquid fuel to operate motor generating means so that the
energy generated thereby may be utilized in a variety of ways in an
improved manner.
Still another related object is an operating system which delivers
sodium and potassium fuel to an apparatus such as a vehicle so that
said fuel can be reacted in a chamber of a motor generator means,
and whereby the spent products of reaction can be returned to a
regenerating zone separate from the apparatus to convert the alkali
hydroxide products to sodium and potassium fuel, as well as water
which is used in the reaction chamber.
Still another related object is the provision of a sodium and
potassium liquid fuel which undergoes reaction with water in a
chamber with motor generator means, and which is characterized by
formation of non-polluting products which are recycled for
regeneration to again obtain the fuel and water.
Yet still another related object is the provision of a sodium
potassium fuel which is handled in an advantageous manner as a bulk
liquid with respect to regenerating means and storage means prior
to combustion in a motor generator.
It is yet still another related object to provide an electrically
powered vehicle in which a conventional storage battery is
rechargeable by electric energy developed from energy of reaction
of sodium and potassium liquid fuel with water and such energy
utilization is characterized by the improvements of further
reacting hydrogen reaction product with oxygen in an associated
fuel cell.
Still yet another object is a system and method which is operable
in an electrically powered vehicle wherein a sodium and potassium
liquid fuel is utilized in versatile ways with different vehicle
power plants.
Yet another related object is the incorporation of conventional
electrical power sources to regenerate spent products of alkali
fuel reaction in a zone separate from a power plant operation so
that regenerated fuel and water can be stored for redelivery to the
power plant, and in which the conventional electric power may also
be used to operate a battery charger in the system for recharging a
conventional storage battery, which itself is chargeable by
electric energy developed from the fuel system combustion.
A particularly related object is an electrically powered vehicle,
which uses a conventional storage battery for driving power, and
which storage battery is recharged selectively by electrical energy
developed from conversion of chemical energy resulting from
reaction of sodium and potassium liquid fuel with water in a
combustion chamber, as well as utilizing still other means for
charging the storage battery to operate the electrically powered
vehicle.
The foregoing objects are now attained together with still other
objects which will occur to practitioners from time to time as they
consider the invention in the following disclosure which includes
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the operation of the system
in association with an electrically powered vehicle;
FIG. 2 is a highly diagrammatic view, mostly in section, of a
representative embodiment of the motor generator using the system
depicted in the view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a highly schematic representation of a vehicle operated
by a hydraulic motor combined with an electromagnetic pump; and
FIG. 4 is a highly schematic view of parts of an internal
combustion engine utilizing a NaK and water reaction followed by a
hydrogen and air reaction .
The present invention utilizes the chemical energy known to be
generated by reacting an alkali such as sodium or potassium with
water. Such reaction produces energy, a spent alkali hydroxide, and
hydrogen gas in accordance with the following equation:
Na + H.sub.2 O .fwdarw. NaOH + 1/2H.sub.2 + 3520 BTU per lb.
Na.
In part, the present invention also utilizes the energy obtained by
the oxidation of the hydrogen formed in the foregoing equation in
accordance with the following equation:
1/2H.sub.2 + 1/40.sub.2 .fwdarw. 1/2H.sub.2 O + 2500 BTU per lb.
Na.
The oxidation of the hydrogen is a reaction characteristic is a
reaction characteristic also of hydrogen-oxygen electrode fuel
cells, wherein the energy is delivered as electrical energy. Both
forms of energy are utilized to advantage from the sodium and
potassium alloy liquid fuel used in the invention. Such fuel has a
particular advantage in that it is present as a liquid which melts
at 10.degree.F. and is therefore in a liquid form at most
temperatures except substantially subfreezing. Reference may be
made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,783. The liquid fuel alloy is composed
of about 23% sodium and 77% potassium, identified herein also as
NaK. Not only can this alloy be handled as a liquid, but also the
spent alkali hydroxides which are formed following reaction of the
alloy with water.
The invention provides that NaK and water is conveyed to a reaction
chamber of a motor assembly where the chemical energy is preferably
converted into electrical energy for charging a storage battery.
The liquid spent hydroxides are then removed to a regenerating zone
where a primary source of electric power is used to regenerate the
hydroxides by electrolysis to NaK. The regnerated fuel is then
available to be returned to the motor generator.
The heat of reaction of NaK is about 4,500 BTU per lb., whereas the
heat of combustion of gasoline is about 20,000 BTU per lb. The
efficiency of gasoline, however, is limited by the themodynamics of
combustion engines, and is further decreased by pollution reduction
control devices. The value of fuel is most realistically assessed
by considering its total cost per mile of driving comparable
vehicles. NaK can use more efficient cycles and is
non-polluting.
The NaK liquid fuel may be processed in a wide variety of
energy-converting devices, which may include nuclear or fossil
fuels which convert mechanical energy by generator means to
electrical energy. Such electrical energy is used to regenerate
spent alkali hydroxides by electrolysis. In this sense, the NaK
liquid fuel may be considered as a secondary energy source used in
the motor generator. The chemical energy potential of NaK is
released upon reaction with water to provide mechanical energy to
motor generators, so that the mechanical energy can be converted to
electrical energy.
It is another advantage of the invention that movement of NaK
liquid fuel through pipelines may operate as an electrical
transmission line because NaK is a good electrical conductor. This
becomes useful in applications where the regenerated NaK is
redelivered from a regenerating zone to a motor generator through
an intermediate storage stop. Such lines can carry electrical
energy as a supplemental electrical energy form to a storage
battery, for example.
Referring now to the drawings a local water source 1 provides water
by line 2 to a customer facility 4. A regenerating zone 3 is
collectively shown as including a primary electrical power source
which regenerates spent alkali hydroxides to obtain the NaK liquid
fuel, such fuel along with locally obtained water being stored in
the service facility 4. The primary source of electric power 3 also
provides electricity to a battery charger 5 which, in turn, may be
used to charge storage battery 6 for electrically powering the
drive motor and controls 7 of an electrically powered vehicle.
In an operating system, the customer service facility 4 and the
electric utility and refinery 3 are separate from the power plant
operation otherwise shown. The customer service facility 4 may be
used as a retail source to an electrically powered vehicle which
receives the regenerated NaK liquid fuel in a fuel reservoir or
tank 8; and which receives the water from the facility 4 in another
water reservoir or tank 9. Conventional lines are used throughout
the system such as a conduit line 10 connecting the regenerated NaK
and water to the customer service facility 4, line 11 for returning
the NaK to the NaK tank, and line 12 for returning the water to the
water tank.
The water from tank 9 is conveyed by line 13 to motor generator
means 14, and the NaK is also conveyed from tank 8 by line 15 to
the motor generator means 14. Thermal energy is then obtained by
the reaction of NaK and water with the atendant production of
hydrogen gas and spent alkali hydroxides. The alkali hydroxides are
transferred by line 16 to spent hydroxide collector 17 where they
are then removed by line 18 to the customer service facility 4 for
storage, and eventual transmission to refinery 3 by line 19.
In the preferred form, described later in greater detail, the
chemical energy is converted to electrical energy in a motor
generator 14, and such electrical energy is connected to the
storage battery 6 via line 20, and the storage battery connects
through conductor 6a to controls 6b to electrically operate the
drive motor 7 and the vehicle.
Additional energy is obtained by routing the hydrogen formed at the
motor generator zone 14 to a fuel cell means 22 via line 23. This
is a conventional fuel cell having hydrogen and oxygen preferably
obtained from an air compressor 23 and delivered to the fuel cell
via line 24. The electric current is then transmitted through an
electric line which is similar to line 20 and similar to the line
leading from battery charger 5, all such lines leading to storage
battery 6. It is understood that hydrogen itself could fuel an
internal combustion engine in place of being routed to fuel cell 2.
This is not the preferred embodiment since the compression phase of
the Carnot cycle would reduce efficiency of operation. The water
formed in the fuel cell 22 is transmitted by line 26 to the water
reservoir or tank 9 for recycling to the motor generator 14.
Although not shown, the vehicle may be a modular hybrid addition to
generator 14, where NaK liquid fuel or battery charging facilities
are not available. In general operation, conventional storage
battery 6, such as lead-acid or other rechargeable kinds, can be
said to provide power to the vehicle during peak demand, such as
acceleration, high speed driving, and when the power input
associated with the liquid fuel are not functioning. In this way,
the motor generator can be set for normal continuous operation,
rather than peak operating conditions to thereby retain high
performance characteristics. Although such means are also not
shown, a regenerative braking system can be employed to return
electrical power to battery 6. The drive motor 7 can be of
conventional AC or DC design. It is also intended that
electromagnetic pumps can be used with the liquid metal NaK fuel,
such fuel being delivered from tank 8 and through hydraulic motors
such as turbines, which drive the wheels of the vehicle.
It will be appreciated that operation of the vehicle in accordance
with the system illustrated will require heating of components at
temperatures below the freezing point of the NaK liquid fuel.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,841. Such sources of
heating energy are represented by batteries, or the heat may be
obtained from the reaction of the NaK fuel with water, or
preferably, storing heated NaK liquid fuel in an insulated sump.
Such thermal storage is adequate for several days of frigid weather
and sufficient for immediate comfort heating. It is also intended
that a dual purpose transmission line can be provided in a system
since the NaK fuel is both a mobile fluid and a good electrical
conductor. A preferred embodiment would include three phase
electric current, and a fourth tube for the return path of the
spent hydroxides. These transmission lines can be suspended from
towers or installed underground. Line cross-section can be
sufficiently large to permit convenient voltages without excessive
resistive power loss. Normal heating associated with such lines
would permit pipelining in frigid weather. In this sense, the NaK
liquid fuel finds use as a general purpose fuel with such
applications as home heating, or home electric power
generation.
One embodiment of the motor generator means is shown in greater
detail in the schematic view of FIG. 2. The motor generator shown
conforms to a variable reluctance free piston type. Such types of
motor generator are generally disclosed in teachings such as U.S.
Pat. Nos. 2,992,342 and 3,247,406. Such a motor generator
preferably includes an electromagnet body or element 30 preferably
made of laminated magnetically soft iron. A central passageway of
the magnetic element receives an elongated cylinder 32 containing a
pair of reciprocating pistons 34. A DC field excitation coil 35
encircles the magnetic element 30, and such coil is shown connected
to a power source 36 so that the current creates magnetic flux.
Armature coil 37 is also provided for converting the magnetic
energy into electrical energy following reciprocation of the piston
elements. Coil 37 is connected to its associated load, such as
battery 6.
The NaK liquid fuel and water are injected by means (not shown) and
combustion chamber 40 between the reciprocating pistons, and the
energy of the chemical reaction forces the pistons towards the
opposite ends of the cylinder 32. This motion compresses and traps
the air 41 between the opposite ends and the respective pistons. As
the pistons approach their maximum outward position, a valve (not
shown) opens and exhaust reaction chamber 40, and compressed air 41
and the magnetic field forces drive the pistons inward. The
position of the pistons shown in the view of FIG. 2 may be
considered as an equilibrium point. As the pistons continue to move
inwardly to reduce the volume of the combustion chamber 40, the
forces reverse which arise from the combustion chamber 40, the
forces reverse which arise from the entrapped air and the magnetic
field. The electrical energy transferred to load 38 is restored to
the pistons 34 by a succeeding injection of NaK liquid fuel and
water into the combustion chamber 40 to sustain the oscillatory
movement of the pistons. The pistons 34 and the magnet element 30
are shown with a plurality of air gaps which result in several
reversals of the magnetic field for each stroke of the pistons,
thereby increasing the output frequency and reducing the mass
requirement of the magnet element 30. As an alternative practice,
oxygen could be introduced into reaction chamber 40 so that the
hydrogen formed during a reaction would undergo combustion. The
cycle would then be similar to that of a diesel, but efficiency of
operation would be lower than simply introducing the NaK liquid
fuel and water by injection. Such injection in preferably conducted
with the help of a small orifice so that the NaK liquid forms small
droplets which immediately contact injected water for exothermic
reaction. Such reaction continues in the presence of the hot water
vapor which forms from the heat of reaction.
The view of FIG. 3 utilizes features of driving an electromagnetic
pump by a hydraulic motor, such a general arrangement being shown,
for example, by P. Burnier in U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,422. An
electromagnetic pump 50 urges NaK to flow to hydraulic motor 51.
The electromagnetic pump generates forces following flow of an
electric current from a source of electric power through magnetic
portions of the electromagnetic pump. Such forces urge the flow of
Nak against vanes 52 in the hydraulic motor. The vanes are
connected to a shaft 53 which drives wheel 54. A motor generator 55
and a battery 56 are connected to a controller 57 which regulates
electrical power output to the electromagnetic pump 50. A source or
reservoir of NaK, shown as tank 58, provides NaK to the
motor-generator assembly and to one or more electromagnetic pumps
by way of conduit 59.
The view of FIG. 4 illustrates an internal combustion engine
utilizing a NaK-water reaction followed by a hydrogen-air reaction.
A NaK tank 65 is joined by conveying means to a NaK injector 66
which delivers NaK into the chamber of the combustion cylinder. A
source or tank of water 67 is joined by conveying means to another
injector 68 which also delivers water into the chamber of the
combustion cylinder. The hydrogen and hydroxides of NaK are formed
as reaction products in the reaction chamber, and such products
move through valve 69 along conveying means into separator 70. The
hydroxide reaction products are conveyed for storage in tank 71,
and the hydrogen is conveyed for passage through valve 72 into the
chamber of an adjoining combustion cylinder. Air is introduced into
the combustion chamber of the adjoining cylinder through valve 73.
The hydrogen-air reaction results in energy and the production of
nitrogen and water combustion products. The nitrogen is discharged
by way of valve 74, and the water is conveyed to collector 75 where
it is condensed and then moved to water tank 77.
In operation, piston 80 approaches the top of its stroke in the
first cylinder, whereupon valve 69 closes and injectors 66 and 68
operate to introduce NaK and water into the combustion chamber. The
formed hydrogen drives piston 80 downwardly, and thereafter the
hydrogen is exhausted on the upstroke through open valve 69 for
storage in separator 70. Piston 82 in the adjoining cylinder draws
in hydrogen and air on the downward stroke, and compresses the
mixture on the upstroke. The mixture of hydrogen and air is ignited
by sparkplug 84 and the energy of combustion drives the piston 82
downwardly. The water and nitrogen combustion products are
exhausted through open valve 74 on the upstroke of the piston. The
operating cylinders turn crank 86 which is joined to load 88,
preferably an electrical generator.
Other vehicle power plants are within the scope of this invention.
An advantage of a NaK fuel system is the wide variety of energy
conversion means which can provide optimum parameters for
particular applications. The following are representative
examples.
The direct conversion to electrical power by cells having NaK-air
electrodes, using a non-aqueous electrolyte. Other electrodes may
be used instead of air.
The external reaction of NaK engines generating hydrogen with water
as a gas at high temperatures and pressures. Turbine, piston, or
rotary engines can convert thermal energy of the gas to kinetic
energy. The chemical energy of the hydrogen gas is further
converted to useable energy by means such as discussed previously.
Kinetic energy may drive the vehicle directly or be first converted
to electrical energy as discussed previously. The reaction means
may include a circulating pool of hot NaK with water vapor or
droplets impinging on its surface. Hydroxides are removed during
circulation, while gas expands into the engine. Alternatively, NaK
droplets can impinge upon a wet surface.
Another external reaction engine generates heat at substantially
normal pressure. The heat powers an expansion engine such as a
Stirling kind. Internal reaction engines similar to conventional
internal combustion engines, such as turbine, piston, or rotary
engines, may be based on a water NaK reaction as previously
described.
The claims of the invention are now presented, and terms used in
such claims may be further understood by reference to the language
of the preceding specification and the views of the preceding
drawings.
* * * * *